<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Flare by mug_of_tea</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25178968">Flare</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mug_of_tea/pseuds/mug_of_tea'>mug_of_tea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Juno Steel and The Invisible Illness [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, Established Relationship, Explicit Description of Pain and Panic, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Juno has Chronic Pain, Negative Self Talk, Not ship-centric but jupeter is, Other, Pain Medication, So does the author we projecting, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:06:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25178968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mug_of_tea/pseuds/mug_of_tea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><div>
  <p> </p>
  <p>    <i>"Just as Juno’s thoughts flitted back to his growing exhaustion, he felt a wave of tension run along his muscle from shoulder to neck.</i><br/><i>He could not handle a flare right now, and this wasn’t going to be a flare. Denial hadn’t failed him yet, so he did what he always did, rolled his shoulder slightly hoping to relieve the tension and leaned forward across the cocktail table separating him and Eltricia.</i><br/><i>Any distraction was better than dealing with the thought spiral that this pain could cause."</i><br/></p>
</div><br/>The Aurinko Crime Family's latest heist is going off without a hitch, that is until Juno feels an all too familiar pain start to creep in and has to reach out to the rest of his crew to get out.
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Juno Steel &amp; Vespa (Penumbra Podcast), Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Juno Steel and The Invisible Illness [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1824082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>196</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey this is my first fic and it is a deeply self indulgent one, but I hope some others might get something out of it. It's set in a time where the ship is fine and the crew is fine, in part because I started writing this ages ago and in part because I want to hide in fun space crime time.</p><p>Juno says some really cruel and harsh things to himself in this and I just want to be clear, your disability does not make you a burden, he's just stuck in some negative thoughts.</p><p>The reference to drug use is blink and you'll miss it but its always better to tag.</p><p>Acyfoxin is not a real medication, I just hope we've moved onto better things that far in the future.</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Aphelion Gala, possibly the most pretentious event in the inner rim. Started back during the earth eras it’s a gathering of the financial elite from across the system coming together to discuss how they can work with each other for the ‘betterment of the future’. a.k.a business deals, and high calibre ones at that. Put aside the front of peacemaking and it was exactly the same as every other party thrown by anyone making millions of creds a year. Flamboyant in the most boring possible way, with enough decorum and etiquette to almost cover any possible fun. That is if it weren’t bursting at the seams with food, overpriced liquor pouring out of an open bar and all of the vices reserved for the richest of the rich.</p><p>And Juno Steel, apparently. The event was ripe with bank account details and valuables locked away in safes, but more importantly to the crew of the Carte Blanche, a blueprint of a cloaking device that was worth more than a detective in Hyperion would see in a lifetime.</p><p>The security at the event was enough to keep thieves away most years but Buddy Aurinko had more spine than most, more brains than the rest and the crew to back it up; so Juno found himself once again in a dress entirely too complicated to be practical with heels to match, although without his master thief companion, who was elsewhere in the building sweet talking some officials and sneaking into the publicly accessible but restricted section of the party in order to acquire a key, to the best of what Juno could understand from the briefing.</p><p>The detective had spaced out a little bit when he realised he was going to be going in alone, It shouldn’t have shaken him as much as it did. He had been doing P.I. work for years with Rita mainly hanging back as back up. But he had gotten used to the security in having someone there if anything went wrong. </p><p>And well allow a lady a second of sentimentality and he may admit he liked having Nureyev by his side for other reasons.</p><p>But Nureyev was busy and Juno was alone, though not as alone as he would like to be as he was currently distracting Peter’s target’s plus one, One Eltrica Jones, child to Herilas Jones head of the Solar Mining Corporation and next in line to take over mum’s company, and wouldn’t you know it an absolutely terrible conversationalist.</p><p>“-so your best bet is to go with Grelda, she’s the fastest space slug around”</p><p>Of all the sports to be stuck in a conversation about Space Slugs has got to be up there with competitive paint drying.</p><p>“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind Miss Jones”</p><p>“Only too happy to help a newbie to the sport Miss - Oh how rude of me I never caught your name”</p><p>“Hera, Hera Brass”</p><p>“Well Madame Brass you must accompany-”</p><p>As she droned on, Juno realised how strangely used to these parties he had become recently. This sort of high society party had just become another drain on his limited energy and trying to keep up with the increasingly complex cover stories took about as many spoons as were kept in industrial kitchens.</p><p>Just as Juno’s thoughts flitted back to his growing exhaustion, he felt a wave of tension run along his muscle from shoulder to neck.</p><p>He could not handle a flare right now, and <i>this wasn’t going to be a flare.</i> Denial hadn’t failed him yet, so he did what he always did, rolled his shoulder slightly hoping to relieve the tension and leaned forward across the cocktail table separating him and Eltricia.</p><p>Any distraction was better than dealing with the thought spiral that this pain could cause.</p><p>Unfortunately, Miss Jones did not become more interesting the longer you talked to her, and with nothing else to dwell on Juno’s thoughts started floating back to his shoulder blades. Any inconspicuous stretching he had managed had only aggravated the stiff muscle and it  continued to pulse until Juno felt the throbbing crawl down to the right side of his ribs. It moved so slowly it was as if it were mocking him, reminding him of how badly this could go.</p><p>Juno still refused to panic. Flares were common enough for him, in fact, his streak of no aches this morning was far more out of the ordinary than any minor pangs. The plan was solid and he knew he would be fine as long as he kept a clear head and didn’t cause any problems for the rest of the team.</p><p>And so he did what he was familiar with. </p><p>“Would you care to accompany me for a dance, Miss Jones?” Was dancing while flaring a good idea? No, not even Juno could convince himself of that. But it was, however, a much better distraction than small talk, extra pain be damned</p><p>“Oh, I would be delighted!” Eltrica took his hand and followed him out to the dance floor. What little mercy the universe had for Juno seemed to have gone into Eltricia’s dancing ability. She wasn’t so skilled as to make Juno push himself to catch up, and even as he felt the skin on his hand that clasped hers prickle as though the contact burned, he was relieved that she was also good enough to avoid any foot stepping that may have careened him over the edge into “definitely not okay”. And so he ignored his body for a while and just listened to the music, even as the pain pushed against his denial with increasing vigour.</p><p>As the song faded out, Miss Jones led him back to a table. Juno swept up a champagne glass from a passing waiter as he followed her back taking a sip shakily, his grip tight on the fragile stem.</p><p>She said something about the champagne, Juno assumed simply asking his opinion on it or something similarly as tedious but before he could answer there it was, the routine grinding of muscle and burning of bone marrow that he was all too familiar with, unceremoniously stealing whatever well-spun lie was leaving his mouth and replacing it with a dull groan as he tried to not fold over under the shock of this sudden… complication of the plan, and Juno swore a complication is all it would be.</p><p>All he had to do was inconspicuously reach into the pocket hidden in one of these damn petticoats where he had his pain med-</p><p>“Madame Brass! Are you okay?”</p><p>
  <i>
    <b>Fuck</b>
  </i>
</p><p>That’s right, he had company, and thinking on his feet may be one of a lady’s talents but that became significantly more difficult when dealing with pain which would best be explained as a crowbar levering his ribs apart and,as he was swiftly realising, not so much as a cane to lean on. </p><p>“Oh wonderful, just got my stocking caught” he responded hoping the sarcasm that snuck in under the word wonderful wasn't too noticeable. </p><p>Balancing with his other hand gripped on the table, desperately hoping that Miss Jones wouldn’t realise how his grip turned his joints pale with its desperation, he reached under his skirt fully betting on the show of leg coming off as more charmingly rebellious than rude, though he was finding it hard to care when he managed to sneak the blister pack up into his glove while pretending to fiddle with his garter.</p><p>Maybe he was learning some sleight of hand from Nureyev after all.</p><p>Their conversation continued on but Juno could tell his sentences were getting more and more fractured and gritted as the pain radiated pulling his thoughts away again and again. But, with hard-fought focus, he managed to slip his pill into his mouth while covering his lips to politely laugh at something Eltricia said that he believed was meant to be a joke. He quickly swallowed, chasing the pill with a swig of champagne, which was definitely the most expensive alcohol he’d ever taken his meds with. He stole a deep breath of relief, barely tasting the drink as it went down before he relaxed back into the conversation, waiting for the familiar fog of receding agony to sweep him up so he could get back to work properly.</p><p>And waited</p><p>
  <i>And waited</i>
</p><p>He could tell he was losing Eltricia at that point; her responses lacked their initial rambling, her eyes sweeping the floor for her partner, slowly shifting away from Juno as he wracked his brain for a way to draw her back in. He was lost in a panic. It had been years since his meds hadn’t worked. He tried to focus but he was already lost in the memories. The months of trial and error, doctor after doctor, pill after pill that hadn’t worked, the couple that had made him worse. The pills that had worked as well for him as they had for everyone else at the bar…</p><p>He was done with that, he was clean, he found something that worked. He opened his eyes with a deep breath. Remember Juno, just get the job done. It was only then he realised Miss Jones was gone. With his body betraying him more and more as time passed and his mind following quickly behind, he realised he couldn’t see her on the dance floor either. He clicked his comms on, embarrassed.</p><p>“Ransom, you got 5 minutes to close. She got away. I’ll try and track her down but…”</p><p>“You haven’t got eyes on her I take it, my dear detective?” He could almost hear Peter thinking through his contingency plans, figuring out what the next move was. He was jealous of that speed as he tried to walk towards the bathroom, all too aware that his walk was becoming a more pronounced limp second by second. He didn’t want to retreat, but he would just draw attention like this.</p><p>“That’s a no, she was gone before I could work out where she was going, but I’d guess she’s looking for your boy”</p><p>“Ah yes, so speed is imperative. Thank you for the information”</p><p>Juno reached the bathroom just as Nureyev signed off. He closed the door behind him as he took out his comms, cracking his fingers while he typed. He hoped his sense that they were going to be the next joint to cramp up was wrong as he switched to his line to Vespa.  </p><p>“Yo, doc. Uhh, how long should Acyfoxin take to kick in”</p><p>The earpiece crackled for a second before he heard what sounded like footsteps on metal grating, followed by a plasma cutter being turned on, followed by a dull thud that all of his years as a detective told him was a body falling to the ground. </p><p>“Steel, now is not the time for a consultation”</p><p>“It <i>really</i> is”</p><p>“Why would now be a good- fuck Steel, right now?”</p><p>Juno braced himself. Vespa and him didn’t get along on the best of days, and even on those, Vespa was rarely anything other than about as abrasive as the sandpaper used on hamster fangs when they got over 5ft. Not that he blamed her all the time. He wasn’t the type to play nice and sometimes he did deserve it. Like now. When he was ruining a mission that was planned down to the second, hiding in a bathroom instead of doing his job. Really, what could Vespa say that he hadn’t heard before?</p><p>
  <i>Trying to get out of an exercise again, cadet?</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Oh, could you pick a worse time? Great way to ruin a date, Juno.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <b>It’s always about you isn’t it, Little Monster!</b>
  </i>
</p><p>.</p><p>“How long ago did you take them?”</p><p>Well, that wasn’t what he was expecting. It took him a second to realise she had spoken and yet another to process what she had said.</p><p>“Uh, uh I think it was...” It was like trying to think through a swamp, and the waves of pain like bog water drowned any helpful thought before it could grow into anything that made sense. But he could at least do this, prove he wasn’t a complete burden to the team. He could at least answer questions when he was asked them. “Maybe 15 minutes ago”.</p><p>“And how much has it eased up?”</p><p>No snappy remark about how long it took him to respond?</p><p>“It uh… hasn’t?” Was it supposed to have? He couldn’t remember.</p><p>“<i>Fuck me, Steel,</i> that shit is super strong. Wait, you’re telling me you’ve been walking around in pain for fifteen minutes without telling me?” her voice was raised with concern now, not unlike how it had been when he had asked her about getting his meds away from Hyperion, and he had refused to expand on why he needed them. </p><p>“Well 20-25, it took me five to take the pills and hey! Since when do I have to tell you about every ache and pain?”</p><p>“Twenty minutes?! Christ, Juno! I am your doctor and we both know you don’t take those for a little ache”.</p><p>He didn’t have a response to that. Not that it mattered much, as almost in time with the end of the sentence, another vicious jab went through his lungs, a breath catching in his throat. </p><p>He could vaguely make out that Vespa was talking to him, but it all seemed unimportant in comparison to trying to keep himself upright, a task he quickly failed at. The heels of his feet felt like the gravity of the sun was on them and as his right thigh pulsed he could feel it start to fail under him, and then he could feel the cold marble of the floor through his dress, the artificial wood wall poking into his upper arm. He rested his forehead on the door trying to catch his breath for a minute before he could focus into Vespa’s voice enough to make out words again.</p><p>“No Ransom, you move and this whole mission could go sideways. I’m going to get him”.</p><p>Juno gritted his teeth, pushing his head harder into the metallic door. He willed himself to focus on the cold pressure before attempting to slowly push himself up.</p><p>“I can handle myself, Vespa”</p><p>He could not. </p><p>His legs gave out before they were even under him, leaving Juno a mess of limbs next to the toilet bowl. A rough chuckle made it through his clenched teeth.There was something funny about the fact that, no matter how he changed, he always seemed to wind up back here.</p><p>His skull was still ringing as he tried to relax, sighing as he let the back of his head rest on the cool wall behind him.</p><p>“Well, looks like I’m not going anywhere. Do you know where I am, doc?”</p><p>“I’m already on my way, Steel. Don’t move”</p><p>And so he didn’t.</p><p>Time was always strange in the throes of a flare. He remembered being in school as the hour-long class would stretch into days of stiff aching; stuck in his chair, staring into the back of his mind until Ben came to help him up. Or the times when Rita would break into his house, talking his ear off about telling her when he was ill, especially if he was going to be away for days, even though he could have sworn he was only fifteen minutes late.</p><p>And so he waited, thanking what gods there may be that the bathroom was quiet and clean and that from what he could hear the ballroom seemed the same mindless drone as before. At least he hadn’t caused a disturbance. The tiles warmed as he sat there, the cold no longer compounding his pain when the door swung open loudly.</p><p>“Okay, where are ya Steel?”</p><p>“Behind lucky door number four” his weak impression of a game show host being slightly ruined as he winced, reaching up to unlock the door letting it swing open. </p><p>Hearing Vespa’s footprints as she walked up the stall, Juno braced for the look of disappointment that always came when someone picked him up off the bathroom floor.</p><p>“Wow, you look like shit Steel.” The words were harsh but they were laced with the same concern and care from earlier and Juno found himself just as confused.</p><p>“And here I thought Ransom did a decent job on my face, but I’ll let him know” he quipped trying to not show how he was avoiding her eyes as she knelt down.</p><p>“Good, he always needs to be knocked down a peg.” It felt… normal, the banter and snark they had settled into when the mean spirited bickering had fizzled out.</p><p>She held out her hand and he took a deep breath, leaning forward in preparation to try and stand.</p><p>“Pulse first, hotshot. We can try standing after that”.</p><p>“I’m not dying, Vespa” Though he couldn't say that he didn't feel like he was, but it takes less time than you would imagine to get used to that feeling. He reached his hand out anyway, allowing Vespa to take it as she pressed against his wrist looking for a pulse to check. It also didn't take long to accept that you're better to just comply when Vespa is in ‘doctor mode’.</p><p>“Could have fooled me, Steel. You took some hardcore shit and you’re still on the bathroom floor looking completely wiped. That’s not normal”. Her fingers stopped moving as he assumed she must have found his heartbeat, keeping her head down as she counted it out.</p><p>“It’s just a badly timed flare, I’ll be fine”. She allows her hands to drop from his wrist, seemingly satisfied, but with her face twisted in confusion and curiosity.</p><p>“Flare? This is a regular thing? When you asked about getting the Acyfoxin I figured you got migraines or something”. Fuck, 7 months on a spaceship and he had to let it slip now. He already knew she wasn't going to let it go, and simply didn't have the energy to come up with a good cover. Well, if it was going to be revealed, now worked as well as any other time, and Vespa had done him the small favour of standing up and checking the rest of the room out while she spoke, so he didn’t have to look her in the eye. </p><p>“Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue; had it for years”. There’s the big scary word. And now, to make it sound way more okay than it was. “It’s not hard to handle, at least when your meds work” The sound of her footsteps stopped dead.</p><p>He could almost hear her in his head, the rage, the disappointment, the contempt.</p><p>But for the third time, she surprised him.</p><p>“I’m real sorry, Steel. That shit’s rough”.</p><p>Pity definitely wasn’t what he was expecting from her, but he could handle that too.</p><p>“Well, that explains the cane”.</p><p>Or… Not.</p><p>“What? Am I not stylish enough to pull one off?”</p><p>“While in your pyjamas at 9am? You’re kidding, right?”</p><p>“You saw that?” He had been certain that there had been no-one awake yet, though in hindsight it does seem rather dumb to have assumed that, on a ship with an assassin and a master thief, no-one had seen him simply because he hadn’t heard anyone.</p><p>“It’s a small ship”. He didn’t know how to respond to that, so the room fell to silence before Vespa spoke again.</p><p>“Well, sorry, but it looks like I’m gonna have to walk you out of here. What d’ya need to do that?”</p><p>She seemed completely normal, treating him like she always had, but confusion wasn't helpful so he pushed it away. Juno tried not to focus on how her calm was grounding him to reality, how it made it easier to push past the fog as he thought through where the Ruby 7 was parked and how long it would take to get there.</p><p>“I need these heels off”.</p><p>“As long as I don’t gotta wear them, easy”. Was that... Had she just chuckled? He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop the inevitable annoyance but it just wasn't coming, so he kept going.</p><p>“And uh, I can’t stand, but once I’m up I think I could walk if I have something to lean on or like a wall...” It was embarrassing not being able to stand up on his own. He had cursed himself over it more than once over the years, not being able to control your own body-</p><p>“My shoulder work? Easier to not look suspicious that way” Vespa’s words pulled him back, her posture was just as relaxed as before her eyes trained on the locked door clearly watching in case someone came in. </p><p>“Uh yeah, sure”. She walked over to him and knelt down again.</p><p>“Cool, I’m gonna put my arm under yours and across your back. Do you think that’ll work?” He knew it would, his gut was rarely wrong about that stuff.</p><p>She had him off the floor and leaning on her shoulder before he even really processed what was happening. It hurt, of course it did, right now existing did, but he realised that's all it was, just pain. The usual guilt and shame of getting help were far more quiet than usual because Vespa really didn't seem like she was put out. But she wasn't pretending nothing was happening either. It felt like... It felt like they had this handled.</p><p>And they did. Juno clasped his heels in one hand and Vespa held the other, helping him lean on her as they casually walked straight out of the lobby and straight to the Ruby 7 where Jet was waiting without a hitch. </p><p>Reaching for the back door of the car, the signature whistle of the Ruby 7 chirped as if to say hello, as Jet turned to look in the back seat, hands still on the wheel ready to leave.</p><p>“Are you okay, Juno?”</p><p>“Just peachy, big guy.” He grunted out as he lay across the back seat, feeling his spine spread and loosen as his back hit the fabric of the seats.</p><p>Vespa was already fiddling with her comms as she scowled at Juno. </p><p>“No injuries, just a flare-up, but I don’t have anything on me to treat him, so he’s going to have to behave and stay here with you for now”</p><p>“What she said.”</p><p>“Oh, Mista Steel, if you’re not even trying to bite back at Miss Vespa it must be a bad one, huh?” Juno chuckled to himself softly to himself hearing Rita’s voice come through a little robotic over the radio system of the car. Rita started her usual checklist of questions.<br/>
“Have you taken your meds, boss?” </p><p>“Yes, Rita.” Juno let out a kind sigh trying not to focus on the pressure in his ribs while he talked.</p><p>“Good good, what’s acting up this time?” </p><p>They had done this hundreds of times. It was strange though, to be in a different room, without her flitting around trying to find solutions Juno hadn’t ever managed to find.</p><p>“What a good question.”</p><p>“Oooooh, <i>supervillain attack.</i> I’ll grab your heat pack for ya now so it's nice and toasty when you get back boss.” Juno continued to stare at the roof, a smile taking over his face as he listened to her fuss. Jet settled back into the driver's seat with only so much as a rustle of fabric alerting Juno. Vespa’s tapping foot let him know that she was leaning on the Ruby rather than jumping into the passenger seat. Jet clicking the radio over to the group call when Vespa finally managed to connect to the last member of the crew still inside the building.</p><p>“Me, Steel and Siquilak are at the Ruby, I’ll be back in to help you out in 2, Ransom.”</p><p>“No need doctor, I’ve got the blueprint and I’ve left through the backdoor. I would have called to get you to move out now but I had visitors.”</p><p>“Well, that was fast, you should have been in there for another 10 at the least, what happened?” Buddy chimed in, her tone settling as more concerned than impressed.</p><p>“Well, I am a professional, and Juno’s call earlier made it sound like I was about to lose my opportunity, so I improvised.” There was a pause while Nureyev thought. Juno could hear the small sharp breaths he was trying to quiet, if Peter was breathing that hard he had pushed himself to get out of there this quickly. Dammit. If he had managed to stay upright another 15 minutes it would have been fine. “Is there a reason you two pulled out, Vespa? Should I be checking over my shoulder?”</p><p>“We’re fine, Ransom.” Juno cursed himself the second he said it, hearing the pronounced strain in his voice.</p><p>“Juno just had his condition flare up, as long as you get back to the Ruby we’ll have no problems” Vespa finished for him, slipping into the passenger seat. He knew the cat was out of the bag, but actually hearing the crew talk about him being sick. He really didn't know what he thought about it.</p><p>“Condition?” Nureyev’s voice trailed out, full of concern and confusion. Juno knew he would find out eventually but this hadn’t been how he had wanted to tell him. Right now wasn’t the time to dwell, though. He could hear Peter’s footsteps slowing; they needed him back with the team now.</p><p>“Keyword: Fine Ransom, just get back here.” It wasn't much, but it seemed to shock him back, his footsteps picking up again.</p><p>“Roger.”</p><p>Everything settled. Juno drew his legs up into the car properly, pulling the door closed with his foot, resting his forearm over his eyes and pulling his earpiece out. He unbuttoned his bodice to relieve the pressure of the fabric against his burning skin, letting the low ramble of the conversation wash over him. He could have sworn Jet and Vespa were talking quieter, not that he minded, he could use some quiet.</p><p>When Nureyev arrived, he opened the door behind Juno’s head and paused as Juno lifted his arm off his face. “Hey there, handsome. You joining us?”</p><p>Nureyev smiled, mission accomplished “Yes, well I’m just a little stuck on the how...” At which point Juno realised he was taking up the entire back seat, as he started to prepare himself to move. “I make a decent pillow if that would accommodate you.”, his smirk lifting at the corner showing his sharp teeth. Juno laughed back, pulling his head and shoulders up and allowing Nureyev to slip in. Almost as soon as he felt the strain, Peter was already under him helping him settle back down as he closed the door. As soon as the door closed, Jet pulled away from where they were parked, leaving the venue before shifting gears and speeding towards the Carte Blanche. As clean getaway as ever.</p><p>Nureyev’s hands drifted down to Juno’s hair as they often did, but as his fingers touched Juno’s scalp, the lady winced and Nureyev drew his hand back careful to not touch him. Juno opened his eyes at the shock and could see the question about the leave Nureyev’s mouth when Buddy’s voice came on over the radio, cutting him off.</p><p>“Okay dears, I won't lie, I’m not entirely sure what happened. It is good to see the team work so smoothly, even with changes to the plan, but could you fill me in a little, Juno?”</p><p>“I have Chronic Pain, Cap. Would have been fine but my meds didn't work when I took them.” He tried to get the words out fast, laying down was helping but the fog over his thoughts was still there slowing the words from appearing when he needed them. “I’m sorry.”, he added at the end, quiet enough he wasn't sure anyone other than Nureyev had heard, which was fine with him. Even he could hear how sad and soft he had sounded.</p><p>“It’s quite alright, though I do wish you had told me earlier, I will admit. Am I correct in thinking it is odd that they suddenly stopped working?”</p><p>“Yeah” he and Vespa responded together.</p><p>“Juno dear, what did you take it with?” Peter asked, clearly holding his hands back trying his best to not move too much. Juno knew later he would feel bad for Nureyev’s tension but at the moment all he felt was relief at being able to rest.</p><p>“Champagne.”</p><p>He could almost hear the eye roll from Vespa but he definitely heard Rita when she piped up over the comms.</p><p>“Mista Steel! We’ve talked about this, you can’t go taking your meds with alcohol. You know Mandy from that one stream she took hers with wine and she <i>died!</i> Now it turns out that it was actually because Andrew had tricked her so he could have the family mansion but that’s besides the point and and...”</p><p>“...And all of that aside Miss Rita, I thought that may indeed be the case” Peter slid back in “That champagne is made to counteract narcotics so the guests may sober up whenever they please. Of course, most of them have the money to simply buy their good health and don’t have to worry about the mistake you happened into, my love.”</p><p>Juno sighed, allowing himself to relax in Nureyev’s lap. “So, will it work now if I take another dose?”</p><p>“No way Steel, you might not feel it but you still have it in your system. Your body wouldn’t handle more for another 5-6 hours.”</p><p>Juno rolled over, curling into Peter's stomach with a groan and hiding his face in his shirt as he breathed. Talking was hard, arguing with Vespa on medical shit was harder and it looked like he was going to have to power through for a while. So, he wasn't going to bother ending the conversation. </p><p>The panic faded as they left the gala further and further behind and his fatigue quickly overtook the residual fear. The pain still ran up and down his bones and he knew that he would rather not be conscious for as much of it as possible. So he focused on Peter’s steady breath, the hum of the Ruby 7, and Vespa's tapping on the dashboard, letting himself fall into sleep.</p>
<hr/><p>When he woke up, it was to a sharp spike of pain up his back. Blearily, he realised Nureyev was lifting him out of the Ruby 7 and the movement must have disturbed him. Peter went to press a soft kiss to his forehead but pulled back at the last second. From the hum he felt where Peter's arms met with him, Juno knew that was the right call but it still left Peter hairs away from him when he spoke achingly softly.</p><p>“I’m sorry my love, I’m just going to get you to bed if that’s okay.”</p><p>His breath was warm on his skin and Juno clung to the haziness of sleep replying with a hum of agreement muffled by Peter’s shirt.</p><p>He was vaguely aware of the pulses of pain as each step shifted him slightly but he was still brilliantly hazy when they got to his room. He felt the smile that crossed his face when Peter handed him the heat-pack he was sure Rita had delivered. He mumbled out a weak “no blankets” taking in the soft bed and brilliant lack of pressure as Nureyev helped him out of his gown, before giving back into the swell of sleep faintly aware of his love sitting across from him fiddling with something and knowing he would be there when he woke up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Any comments are much appreciated :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>